Charismatic

Well, as I’m sure you are all aware, by December we actually have to have made up our minds on who we’d like to bestow our nation’s future upon.

However as apparently we can’t just nominate, draft or volunteered the best person for the job neither BEVS nor Persephone can be coerced into standing . Nor apparently, due to a massively discriminatory system favouring human candidates, can we nominate the dogs that could drive a car. I think that mostly leaves bipedal mammals of whom we are varyingly resentful and mistrusting.

So what election pledges are you looking for this time? What are the “hot topics” that could swing your vote?

Charismatic

I'm going with three:
- Increased housing supply and better price controls.
- Measures to reduce income inequality (mostly taxation, education and social spending).
- A more comprehensive approach to legislating enviromental management.

Charismatic

Here is how polling looks currently, it appears that a Labour-Green coalition has the number overall by a slim margin at the moment based on polling:

BEVS

You've been reading my mind again.

Bo-Jangles

I was rather hoping Kim Dotcom would get a chance to have a crack and get us above the Global Broadband Line.

Tom1983

If the Labour leader had slightly amended his recommendations for new borns, that would be one vote winner

I would have preferred him to remove the $60pw and extend the childcare 20 hours a week to include all ages. It would certainly help us and many other families whose parents both work and have to send their kids to childcare. Bit unfair it's only valid for 3 years+ and not for youngsters up to 2.

If he does want to further his $60pw then it should be in baby vouchers, not giving parents the freedom to spend on whatever they feel like.

Their plea to extend the paid leave to 26 weeks is something I firmly agree with. But hey ho, arguing with people in the press about that is like arguing with Diane Abbott about which comprehensive school to send your kid to. Then again what do you expect from people stuck in the 1970's (see press commentators about having a rail system in Christchurch)

Oh and given what Heiki Peralta has done to education down here, I don't think many would be taken to anything National say on education. She's easily in the top 5 of most hated figures in Christchurch at the moment

Charismatic

I'm on the fence about the payment thingy, on the one hand people who have children clearly need more moolah. On the other I don't want people to feel having children is more of an option due to the better moolah.

There has to be some point at which we acknowledge we have enough people, in fact some poor countries may little overstocked on humans. The amount of fossil resources, arable land, fishes etc. are all finite. If we can't implement measures to promote a sustainable population and lifestyle in wealthy countries how can we ask the developing countries to do the same?

Even if we half the environmental pollution per capita if we double the population we will have had no effect. D'ya get my drift?

Charismatic

Let me ask another question; is it OK to use public funds to bribe voters in an election year? Both the major players have rolled out idealistically driven policies.

If not then should we not have already made up our minds since we are avoiding being influenced by election year "ice cream for all" type promises?

scrubbedexpat094

I'm anyone's for a double scoop of hokey pokey and a million dollars

Charismatic

It must be very tempting for National to call a snap election if they can consistently poll over 50% support as Colmar-Brunton is showing currently.

Hazelnut

The Nationals aren't racist ones like the BNP and SNP are they? I've had a quick look at the website and it seems quite generalist and very political avoidispeak.

Persephone

Once I get citizenship then there's nothing to stop me. First, concierge on BE, then PM of NZ and finally the world will be mine, all mine!
All you future minions out there need to remember that the Perse-ster never forgets those who help her out or supply brown envelopes stuffed with cash Your future is in your hands...

Charismatic

I like your enthusiasm for the position but better leave the political speech writing to us.

Key talking points:
World peace
End poverty
Universal healthcare
Environmental protection

Stick to those and you can't go wrong.

bearskin

Watching House of Cards? Now THAT is how it's done!!

Personally, I find the Labour Party here a bit too loony-lefty, giving all the rates money to Lesbian-knit-your-own-yoghurt Groups.

I do quite like the Greens though if that's not too much of a contradiction!! I had that nice Metiria Turei round my house the other day - she's an interesting bod.

Tom1983

No, the National party are similar to the UK errr good question.

I would say similar to the Conservatives but from recent performances, I'd say that's not the case anymore

BNP and SNP similarities are probably NZ First. However, there are times Winston Peters actually does talk sense. His points about housing and in particular linking in to the issues that the Australians are suffering at this moment in time, are pretty well documented. He's a bit Faragey in a way, does talk sense but then talks rubbish.

The good thing about National is that they'll always send you a lovely christmas card. Paid by yourself I reckon

You might want to watch Maurice Williamsons speech on the gay marriage legislation. Whilst I disagree with his approach to Kiwis buying online - his speech on the gay marriage is one of the best speeches i've ever heard a politician say.